Electrical connector



Jan. 16, 1962 J. A. NAVA ETAL 3,017,597

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. Nov. 1s. 1.958

i 7 439 142 149 144 fl- 5 J 441 425 44a 121 147 170 E 7 I .12

140.- E 16'0" ,fL 1"'516 150a.

, Joseph A. Nara lee A. Archer 3,017,597 ELECTREQAL CONNECTGR Joseph A. Nava, Villa Park, and Lee A. Archer, Wheaton, EL, assignors to The Pyle-National Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 13, 195$, Ser. No. 775,092 6 Claims. (Cl. 33964) This disclosure constitutes a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 558,432, filed January 11, 1956, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more particularly relates to an improved form of connector which embodies a connector structure that is weather resistant, water resistant, submersible, dust proof, gas proof, heat resistant, pressurized, moisture proof, vibration proof, low weight, and of small size. These qualities result from the provision of a sandwich-type insulation in the connector housings, and which flexibly mount the contacts to allow for alignment variations thereof, together with the provision of the contact structure of the present invention.

It is then an object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical connector for detachably connecting conductor ends together and having the above enumerated characteristics.

Another object of the present invention is in the provision of an electrical connector having two separable parts which may be easily and quickly aligned and connected together in sealing relationship.

Yet another object of the present invention is in the provision of a connector structure having a sandwichtype insulation and contact unit, wherein a definite controlled pressure on the unit is employed.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a separable connector, each part having a sandwich-type insulation and contact unit including a spring for effecting a definite controlled pressure on the unit to absorb manufacturing variances as well as improve the performance of the unit.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a separable connector, each part fioatingly mounting a plurality of contacts thereby giving alignment flexibility thereof.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a connector having female contacts constructed in such a manner that they resiliently engage the male terminals.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved sealing and supporting sandwich wherein a resilient dielectric material is deliberately and forcibly extruded to provide resilient dielectric barriers between adjoining conductors or contact members, thereby minimizing electrical tracking.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved strain member for a sandwich-type sealing and supporting unit wherein the strain member functions as an effective clamp to maintain a desired predetermined minimum preload on the sandwich unit.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partly in section and showing underlying parts in elevation, and taken substantially along the line II in FIGURE 4, of the male or plug end of an electrical connector embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to that in FIGURE 1 but showing the female or socket end of the connector;

3,0l7,597 Patented Jan. 16, 1952 FIGURE 3 is substantially the same view of the connector ends as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, but showing the ends in interfitting and connected relationship, and the female end being partially fragmentary;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of the open end of the connector shown in FIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows of line lVIV;

FIGURE 5 is a reduced elevational view of a metal form used in fabricating the novel strain member of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating a step in the fabrication of the strain member of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating a barrel portion of the connector of the present invention with the unloaded strain member of the present invention positioned therein;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 but with the sandwich unit and additional components of the connector assembled in place and showing the strain member in loaded condition; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating additional details of the sandwich unit incorporated in the connector of the present invention and particularly illustrating the extruded resilient dielectric barriers formed by the sealing material under compression.

As shown on the drawings:

As shown in the elevational views of FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the electrical connector of the present invention includes separable interfitting units A and B for detachably and electrically connecting the conductors or wires of two cable ends together. The unit A constitutes the female or socket portion of the connector, while the unit B constitutes the male or plug portion of the connector.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 2, the female end or section A of the connector includes a hollow cylindrical housing or casing 11 having a pair of stepped counterbores 12 and 13, progressively smaller in size, separated by an inwardly projecting flange 14 and a chan nel-shaped annular groove 15. The housing 11 may be formed from any suitable material, but is preferably constructed of an aluminum alloy that is anodic hard-coated to provide an abrasion resistant surface with a hardness approximately equal to tempered tool steel. Additionally, the surface exhibits an extremely high corrosion resistance and is highly dielectrical.

A sandwich-type insulating and contact supporting unit is secured within the housing 11, and includes a resilient, expansible and compressible disk is sandwiched between a pair of rigid insulating disks 17 and 18. The sandwiched disk 16 is preferably constructed of rubber and diametrically sized to intimately engage the smaller housing bore 13, while the insulating disks are formed preferably of hard plastic or equivalent insulating material and diametrically sized to be freely received within the counterbore 13 of the housing 11.

The intermediate compressible disk of the sandwich type unit is provided with a plurality of annularly arranged axially extending apertures 16a for receiving a reduced shank section 19a of a female terminal 19. On one end of the terminal 19, a socket end 1%, which is diametrically larger than the shank portion 19a, is freely received within a bore 18a of the disk 18. It may be noted that the bore 18a opens at the end of the disk adjoining the compressible disk 16, but terminates shortly of the opposite end, and is coaxially aligned with the aperture 16a in the disk 16. Further, the bore 18 is sized to provide clearance with the outer periphery of the terminal socket end 1% and the free end thereof. To allow for entry of a male terminal in the socket 19b, a reduced but coaligned bore 13b connects with the bore 18a and extends through the remaining portion of the disk. It will be appreciated that a plurality of annularly aligned bores 18 and 18b are provided in the disk 18,

which register with the apertures of the disk 16.

At the other end of the terminal 19, a wire or conductor receiving socket 19c is formed in axial alignment with the shank portion 19a and the socket portion 19b, and within which a wire or conductor end is suitably soldered. The wire receiving end 19c is sized diametrically larger than the shank portion 19a and extends through a bore or aperture 17a formed in the disk 17.

The outer diameter of the disk 17 is also sized to be freely received within the bore 13 as the disk 18 and carries a plurality of apertures or bores 17a in annular arrangement for registry with the apertures in the compressible disk 16, but sized to freely receive the wire end 190 of the terminal that is diametrically larger than the shank portion 19a. In other words, a clearance is provided between the inner bore of the disk 17 and the outer surface of the wire end 190 to facilitate an assembly of the sandwich type unit. An inwardly projecting shoulder 17b within each bore 17a of the disk 17 coacts with the outwardly projecting shoulder 19d on the tenninal 19 in serving to prevent axial movement between the disk 17 and terminal 19 in one direction beyond a limited amount. While the inner periphery of the flange 17b is diametrically smaller than the outer periphery of the flange 190', it will be appreciated that a clearance still exists between the inner periphery of the flange 17b and the wire connecting end 19c and the outer periphery of the flange 19d and the bore 17a. Axial movement of the terminal 19 in the other direction is limited by the free end of the terminal socket end 1% that is capable of abutting against the shoulder formed between the bores 18:: and 18b in the disk 18.

Hence, it is seen that each terminal 19 is more or less pivotally mounted or floatingly mounted on the rubber disk 16 due to the clearance existing between the terminal parts and the insulating disks 17 and 18. This floating support of the terminals gives alignment flexibility when the socket end 1% is engaged by the plug end of a male terminal. Moreover, this flexible mounting absorbs manufacturing variances. Further, this flexible mounting resists damage due to shock and/or vibration.

To hold the sandwich insulation within the housing 11, a compression spring 20 of a single helix is fitted in the channeled groove 15 and defines an annular shoulder for engaging an annular flange on the inner end of the disk 18. The outer periphery of the flanged end of the disk 18 is sized diametrically larger than the inner periphery of the spring 20, but still allows a clearance to exist with the housing bore 13. The rubber disk 16 abuts against the one end of the disk 18 and is abutted on the other side by one end of the disk 17.

The disk 17 is urged against the disk 16 and in the direction of the disk 18 by an annular retainer member 21 which is internally threaded to be received by exterior threads on the housing 11. An inwardly and axially extending annular member 21a is carried on a radial flange 21b of the retainer to abut against a shoulder on the disk 17 formed by an annular notch on the outer peripheral end thereof. The outer peripheral end of the disk 17 is similarly notched to facilitate assembly of the insulating sandwich, wherein it is immaterial which end of the disk 17 is abutted against the compressible disk 16.

It may be noted that the annular retainer 21 is circumferentially knurled and formed to receive a wrench, and when the retainer is drawn up tight a definite controlled pressure on the sandwiched rubber disk 16 is effected tending to axially compress the disk and expand it in all directions. The compression of the rubber disk 16 insures a sealing relationship with the associated parts. First of all, the disk 16 will sealingly engage tightly against the bore 13 of the housing. Secondly, the disk 16 will sealingly engage the shank portions 19a of the terminals 19. And in the third place, the rubber disk 16 will seal tightly against the adjacent surfaces of the plastic disks 1'7 and 18. Thus, the sandwich-type insulation unit insures a connector structure which will be dust proof, moisture proof, shock proof, leak proof, heat proof and self-aligning. It is even possible to immerse an open connector in water, shake the excess water out, and reconnect the mating unit without fear of failure. The compression spring 20 serves the dual function of absorbing manufacturing variations while exerting a definite pressure on the sandwiched unit.

While the improved electrical connector of the instant invention is adaptable for various types of uses, it may be pointed out that installation of the unit on a panel, bulkhead, or wall is possible due to the construction of the housing 11 of the female portion A. In this connection, an outwardly projecting radial flange 22 is formed around an intermediate portion of the housing and defines with the housing an annular shoulder for butting against a gasket ring 23. The enlarged end of the housing 11 is exteriorly threaded at 24 and adapted to be received within an apertured panel or wall 25, one side of which abuts against the gasket 23. A nut 26 is threadedly received on the housing to abut against the other side of the wall 25 and hold the unit securely and in sealing relationship with the wall thereof.

Now referring to the male or plug portion B of the improved electrical connector, as shown especially in FIGURES l and 3, a hollow cylindrical housing 27 is provided with an outer end 27a sized to interfit with the mating end of the female unit A and be telescopically received within the annular space provided between the disk member 18 and the bore 12, as seen in FIGURE 3. To maintain the units A and B connected together in sealed relationship, the outer end of the unit A abuts against a flexible ring gasket 28 encircling the housing 27 and backed up by an outwardly projecting flange 29. The flange 29 further serves to coact with an inwardly projecting flange on an interiorly threaded nut 30 engaging the threads 24 of the unit A and pulling the units A and B into tightly engaged relationship.

The housing 27 of the male unit B is provided with stepped counterbores 31 and 32 separated by an inwardly projecting flange 33 and an annular channel-shaped groove 34 Received within the housing and in the vicinity of the counterbore 32 is a sandwich-type insulating and contact supporting unit similar to that in the female unit A. This unit includes an expansible and compressible disk 35 sandwiched between a pair of rigid disks 36 and 37. The resilient disk 35 is preferably constructed of rubber as the disk 16 in the female unit A, while the disks 36 and 37 are preferably constructed of a hard plastic, such as the disks 17 and 18 in the female portion of the connector A.

The disks 36, 35 and 37 are respectively provided with a plurality of annularly arranged sets of coaligned bores or apertures 36a, 35a and 37a, each set receiving a male terminal or contact 33. Each male terminal includes a central shank portion 38a intimately received and supported by the apertured resilient disk 35, a wire or conductor receiving socket 38b extending from one end of the shank portion 38a and being freely received within the bore 37a of the disk 37, a forwardly extending enlarged shank portion 380 at the other end of the shank portion 38a and being freely received within the bore 36a of the disk 36, and a forwardly extending plug or jack portion 38d sized to be slidably received in the socket end 19b of the female terminal 19, as seen in FIGURE 3. To limit the axial movement of the terminals 38, inwardly extending flanges are provided on the bores of the disks 36 and 37 which coact with outwardly extending flanges formed on the enlarged portions 38b and 38c of each terminal.

While the resilient and compressible disk 35 is diametrically sized to be received intimately within the bore 32 of the housing 27, the plastic disks 36 and 37 are sized to be easily insertable therein. To maintain the sandwich-type insulation and terminal supporting unit within the housing 27 of the female part of the connector, the outer periphery of the disk 36 is annularly notched at one end to abut against a compression spring 39 seated in the channel-shaped groove 34, The other end of the disk 36 is similarly annularly notched to facilitate assembly and allow either end to be in abutting relation with the compression spring 39. The spring 39 has a single helix and is similarly constructed to the spring 20 in the female portion of the connector. At the outer end and outer periphery of the disk 37, annular notches are provided. The notch most remote from the disk 35 shoulderingly engages a ring-shaped retaining member 40 that is received telescopically within the bore 32. The member 40 is held inwardly against the disk 37 by a tubular member 41 which is threadedly received over the exterior of the associated end of the housing 27. The retaining member 40 is annularly enlarged at its outer end to be received in an annular notched portion of the tubular member 41, and a flexible gasket ring 47 is provided between the end of the housing 27 and a recess portion of the tubular member 41 to sealingly secure the housing 27 and tubular member 41 together.

Again, the compression of the rubber disk 35 causes it to seal tightly against the bore 32 of the housing 27, and seal tightly around each of the shank portions 38a of the terminal 33, and sealingly engage the adjoining surfaces of the plastic disks 36 and 37. Moreoven, the compression spring 39 functions like the compression spring 211 in the female end of the connector in absorbing manufacturing variances while exerting a definite controlled pressure on the sandwiched disk 35,

Referring particularly to FIGURE 1, a cable 43 having a plurality of electrical conductors or wires 43a (only one of which is shown for purposes of clarity) is connected to the outer end of the tubular member 41. Each wire 43a is bared at its end and introduced into the tubular member to be fastened to a wire receiving end 381) of the terminal 38.

A nut 44 is threadedly received on the outer end of the tubular member 41 and includes a radially inwardly extending shoulder 44a which engages an outwardly projecting radial shoulder 45:: on a bushing 45. Woven meshed wires 46 are secured to the bushing 45 for gripping the cable 43 and limiting its axial movement away from the unit B. The bushing 45 abuts against th end face of a rubber grommet 47 that is tapered on its outer circumferential surface to mate with a tapered interior surface 48 on the adjacent end of the tubular member 41. Thus, the grommet 47 eflects a sealing relationship between the cable 43 and the tubular member 41 and the wires or conductors 43a at the open end of the cable 43 are enclosed in a sealed environment. It is to be understood that a similar tubular and cable connecting arrangement may be provided for the female connector unit A in place of the retainer 21.

As pointed out hereinabove, the disk 16 constitutes a mass of resilient dielectric sealing material which comprises an electrical insulation with separate openings through which the respective conductors of the multiconductor connector are passed, Thus, the resilient disk 16 performs two distinct functions. The first is to provide a water seal while supporting the contact in a resilient, vibration-resistant condition. The second function performed by the resilient disk 16 is to provide an electrical barrier between the contact members or conductors energized electrically at opposite polarities. In accordance with the present invention, such electrical barriers are established in such a fashion that if the barrier did not exist, a fault might occur between two adjoining contacts or conductors. The apparent explanation of such phenomenon is that the so-called electrical track distance between the contacts or conductors when the contacts or conductors are spaced below a definite and discrete minimum distance is inadequate to provide dielectric separation of the opposite polarity currents in the contacts or conductor members. However, by interposing a resilient dielectric barrier therebetween and clamping such barrier between the two rigid disks 17 and 18, an effective and useful electrical separation is accomplished which would be impossible without the pressure developing arrangement contemplated.

In FIGURE 9, the enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrates additional details of the sandwich unit arrangement of the present invention. Thus, there is provided a mass of resilient dielectric sealing material which comprises an electrical insulation having separate openings 136 through which the respective conductors 137 and 138 are passed. A clamping plate 139 is located adjacent to the sealing material 135 and has bores 141) therein through which the conductors pass before entering the sealing material 135. The clamping plate 139 is characterized by the formation therein of counterbores 141 at the bores 1'40 and in a face 142 engaging the sealing material 135.

The form of the invention illustrated herein likewise includes a second clamping plate 146 having bores 147 formed therein through which the conductors 137 pass and counterbored as at 148 formed at the bores 147 in a face 149 engaging the sealing material 135.

The conductors are also particularly characterized by the formation thereon of a pair of flanges 150 and 151 disposed on opposite sides of the sealing material 135 and extending radially outwardly to provide spaced shoulders 151a and 1151b and 150a and 150b, respectively. Each flange 151} and 15 1 is of smaller size than a corresponding counterbore 141 or 148. When the sandwich sealing and support unit is clamped together in the manner described hereinabove, the barrier function of the sealing material 135 is accomplished by forcing the rigid disks 139 and 146 into intimate contact with the resilient insulator material 135 so as to exclude air and surface contaminants conducive to electric tracking. Moreover, the sealing material is deliberately and forcibly extruded into the counterbores 141 and 148, as shown at and 161, respectively, in FIGURE 9. Thus, the resilient dielectric barriers 1611 and 16 1 which, in effect, constitute the form of an annulus around the outside of the flanges 150 and 151 minimize electrical tracking between adjoining contact members or conductors such as 137 and 138, shown in FIGURE 9.

In the form of the invention of FIGURES 1-3, there is disclosed a compression spring 20 or 39 which functions in the respective male or female parts of the connector to absorb manufacturing variances while exerting a definite controlled pressure on the sandwiched disk 35. In view of the operation of such pressure element, an improved structural form thereof can also be utilized in the connector of the present invention and as is particularly disclosed in connection with FIGURES 5-8.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5-8, there is provided a strain member 120 which in its initial condition constitutes a metal form made of a suitable spring metal and taking the physical shape of a ring split as at 121.

The ring form member of FIGURE 5 is specifically shaped in accordance with the principles of the present invention as shown in FIGURE 6. Thus, a plurality of undulations are provided in the ring form 120 which are blended together in the form of smooth curves having no abrupt changes in contour. The undulations or curves extend in axial direction. Referring now to FIG- URE 7, there is shown a housing member 127 provided with stepped counterbores 131 and 132 separated by an inwardly projecting flange 133 and an annular channelshaped groove 134.

The ring form 120 is of such a size that it has a greater outer diameter than the inner diameter of the edges of the channel-shaped groove 134 and its inner peripheral edge has a lesser diameter, thereby to project radially inwardly of the smallest sized bore 131.

As shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the forming curvature of the dies used to shape the ring form member 120 is such to provide the curved undulations, thereby forming axially spaced abutment surfaces, a series of circumferentially spaced abutment surfaces 290 being provided by the ring form member 120 on the side thereof adjacent the bore 131 and a plurality of circumferentially spaced abutment surfaces 201 being provided by the ring 120 on the side nearest the bore 132. The schematic designation of the dies is indicated by the legend D in FIGURE 6. It will be understood that the convolutions or undulations of the circular ring 120 are deliberately stressed beyond the yield point of the material, thereby to effect a permanent set in the ring 120. By careful fabrication there is provided a measurable, predictable and definable area between an initial deformation and a subsequent deformation which may be used in accordance with the principles of the present invention to advantage. Thus, the ring 120 is used in the connector to provide a predetermined limited space in the connector between which the insulation sandwich is clamped and the strain member 120 serves as a clamp in an engineering sense. It will be noted that FIGURE 7 shows the strain member 120 in its unloaded condition since parts have been removed from the connector for the sake of clarity. In unloaded condition, it will be noted that the axial dimension between the surfaces 20020 1 corresponding to the width of the undulations or convolutions corresponds generally to the width of the annular channel-shaped groove 134. The extent of the split 121 between opposite confronting ends of the strain member 120 is selected so that deformation of the strain member 120 within the limits prescribed by the channel-shaped groove 134 is permitted.

Received within the housing 127 and as shown in FIG- URE 8 is a sandwich unit similar to the sandwich units 16,17, 18, or 35, 36, 37, or 135, 146, 139. For convenlence in orientation, the respective elements of the sandwich unit shown by way of illustration in the embodiment of FIGURE 8, are identified by numbers corresponding to the identification of the elements illustrated in large cross-sectional detail in FIGURE 9. Thus, the resilient disk of sealing material is shown at 135 and the rigid disk 139 is shown bottomed against the abutment surfaces 200 of the strain member 120, while the rigid disk 146 is on the opposite side of the insulator material 135. A plurality of conductor members 137 extend through the sandwich unit.

A retaining member 240 carried by an axially advanceable member 241 cooperates with a flexible gasket ring 242 and engages against the end of the rigid disk 146 to clamp the sandwich unit against the strain member 120. Thus, the strain member 120 is resiliently deformed with the undulations or convolutions thereof tending to flatten out, but exerting a continuous minimum preloading force on the sandwich unit. The initial deformation of the strain ring 120 serves to compensate for manufacturing variations in the connector and once deformed, as shown in FIGURE 8, becomes identified as an integral part of the assembly since the resilient deformation thereof permits the strain ring 120 to function as a continuously preloaded clamp which will maintain the desired predetermined limited space in the connector and maintain a definite predetermined pressure on the sandwich unit.

As noted hereinabove, the resilient sealing material of the insulator disk 135 is displaced because sealing material such as rubber, for example, is incompressible, however, the reluctance of the sealing material creates a resistive force which serves as a spring reaction to the strain ring Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we 8 wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an electrical connector, a housing having an axially extending bore therein, a flat flexible silicone rubber disk in said housing extending across said bore and having its outer peripheral wall engaged against the adjoining bore walls of the housing, said disk having at least one passageway formed therein extending therethrough parallel to the axis of the connector, a contact member extending through said passageway and having an outer peripheral surface engaged by the disk at the wall surfaces of said passageway, said contact member being supported for limited pivotal movement in said housing by said flexible disk, said housing having spaced shoulders in said bore disposed on axially opposite sides of said flexible disk, a pair of rigid disks floatingly mounted in said housing, one of said rigid disks on one side of said flexible disk engaging one of said shoulders and having an opening through which said contact member extends with clearance, said one disk having an inwardly extending shoulder closely confronting the peripheral surface of said contact member to prevent excess pivotal movement, said contact member having abutment means extending outwardly of its peripheral surface and being cooperable with said inwardly extending shoulder to prevent relative axial movement, a spring helix bottomed against said other shoulder and against the other of said rigid disks on the opposite axial side of said flexible disk, said other rigid disk having an opening through which said contact member extends with clearance, said rigid disks comprising a disk member of generally cylindrical configuration and with annular notches formed in opposite sides of its outer periphery allowing either side of said disk member to seat said spring helix in a corresponding annular notch and allowing the opposite side of said disk member to engage the adjoining surface of said flexible disk, whereby said rigid disks are preloaded into sandwiched relation with said flexible disk and said contact member in self-aligning and shock mounted in sealed relation in said flexible disk within the limits of restraint prescribed by said rigid disks.

2. In an electrical connector, a housing having an axially extending bore therein, a flat flexible silicone rubber disk in said housing extending across said bore and having its outer peripheral wall engaged against the adjoining bore walls of the housing, said disk having at least one passageway formed therein extending therethrough parallel to the axis of the connector, a contact member extending through said passageway and having an outer peripheral surface engaged by the disk at the wall surfaces of said passageway, said contact member being supported for limited pivotal movement in said housing by said flexible disk, said housing having spaced shoulders in said bore disposed on axially opposite sides of said flexible disk, a pair of rigid disks in said housing, one of said rigid disks on one side of said flexible disk engaging one of said shoulders and having an opening through which said contact member extends with clearance, a strain member bottomed against said other shoulder and against the other of said rigid disks on the opposite axial side of said flexible disk, said other rigid disk having an opening through which said contact member extends with clearance, said strain member comprising a split ring made of resilient material and having a plurality of undulations formed therein constituting smooth curves extending in axial direction to form spaced abutment surfaces yieldably compressible and maintaining a minimum preloading pressure on said sealing material when said rigid disks are preloaded into sandwiched relation with said flexible disk, said contact member being self-aligning and shock-mounted in sealed relation in said flexible 9 disk within the limits of restraint prescribed by said rigid disks.

3. In an electrical connector, a housing having an axially extending bore therein, a flat flexible disk of sealing material in said housing extending across said bore and having its outer peripheral Wall engaged against the adjoining bore walls of the housing, said disk having at least one passageway formed therein extending therethrough parallel to the axis of the connector, a contact member extending through said passageway and having an outer peripheral surface engaged by the disk at the wall surfaces of said passageway, said contact member being supported for limited pivotal movement in said housing by said flexible disk, said housing having a shoulder in said bore on one side of said flexible disk and an annular groove in said bore on the other side of said flexible disk, a pair of rigid disks in said housing, one of said rigid disks on one side of said flexible disk engaging one of said shoulders and having an opening through which said contact members extends with clearance, a split ring strain member having axially curved convolutions and being received in said annular groove, said split ring strain member having radially inwardly extending portions engaging an adjoining surface of said housing on one side and engaging with the other of said rigid disks on the other side of said flexible disk, said other rigid disk having an opening through which said contact member extends with clearance, said rigid disks being preloaded into sandwiched relation with said flexible disk, said strain member and the reluctance of the flexible disk maintaining a preloading pressure on the sandwich forcibly deforming said disk into sealing relation with all surfaces adjoining thereto.

4. In a multi-conduetor connector, a disk-shaped mass of resilient dielectric material comprising an electrical insulation with separate openings through which the conductors extend and a pair of clamping plates substantially coextensive with and adjacent to opposite sides of said sealing material and having bores therein through which the conductors pass, said clamping plates having counterbores formed at said bores in the respective faces thereof engaging said sealing material, and means clamping said clamping plates against the sealing material, a portion of said sealing material being disposed \m'thin said counterbores and forming enlarged resilient dielectric barriers in said counterbores between adjacent conductors excluding air and contaminants and minimizing electrical tracking between the conductors, a plurality of cylindrical conductors, each characterized by the formation thereon of a radially outwardly extending flange on each side of said sealing material, and each said flange being received in a corresponding one of said counterbores, said flanges being of a lesser size than the corresponding counterbores and each of said enlarged resilient dielectric barriers taking the form of an annulus engaging the peripheral surfaces of said flanges.

5. In a multi-conductor connector as defined in claim 4, said means clamping said clamping plate including a pressure element comprising a resilient strain member strain-biased against one of said clamping plates and continuously maintaining a minimum preloading pressure on said sealing material.

6. In a multi-conductor connector as defined in claim 4, said means clamping said clamping plates against the sealing material comprising a split ring strain member made of resilient material and having a plurality of undulations formed therein constituting smooth curves extending in axial direction to form spaced abutment surfaces yieldably compressible and maintaining a minimum preloading pressure on the resilient sealing material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,383,926 White Aug. 28, 1945 2,450,528 Sprigg Got. s, 1948 2,461,487 Wagstaff Feb. 8, 1949 2,605,315 Hargett July 29, 1952 2,700,140 Phillips Jan. 18, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 156,006 Australia Apr. 6, 1954 587,643 Great Britain May 1, 1947 

